Speech #680076331

I am sorry I can not yield to the gentleman. but if I get through in time I shall be glad to yield for questions. I must hurry on to address myself to my second inquiry. Is the flow of immigration today too strong for the maintenance and perpetuation of our institutions? Is the annual Intake of foreigners too great for us to absorb? Let us again turn to the facts and lay aside fear and prejudice. In the 100year period from 1820 to 1920 we permitted to come into this country of ours on an average of 6.3 per cent for every thousand inhabitants residing within its boundaries. During the twoyear restriction period ending June 30. 1923. only 3.7 per cent for every thousand were admitted. This represents a reduction or restriction of over 40 per cent in the flow of immigration. The flow of immigration for this 100year period is shown in the following table: Immigration per 1.000 population in the United States for the period 182019231 Per cent 1820 ----------------------------------------------------- 20. 7 1830 -------------------------------------------2.4 1840 --------------------------------------------------- 4.4 1850 ----------------------------------------------------- 4. 1 1860 --------------------------------8. 7 1870 ------------------------------------------------------- 8.3 1880 -------------------------- 8.9 1890 ----------------------------------------------------- 8. 2 1900 ---------------------------------------------------- 5.5 1910 -------------------------------------------------------9. 3 1920 -------------------------- a3. 3 Average for 100 years -------------------------------------- 6. 3 1922 and 1923 7------------------------------------.7 Notwithstanding the restriction on the flow of immigration imposed by the act of 1921. the majority report of the Immigration Committee. advocating further restriction. makes the following statement. page 11: This country thus serves notice that it can no longer be an asylum. The fact is that the 1921 act has denied the privilege of America as an asylum. as indicated by the table given above. to literally thousands upon thousands. The same report says: "The mass of immigrants who came in 1890 is too great to be assimilated." But the flow of immigration was checked by 40 per cent in 1921. and the operation of this law is too recent and too brief to be any guide as to whether the restriction was wise or unwise. Certainly no new evidence has been introduced to justify further restriction. The simple fact is that the flow of immigration has been cut off to a very appreciable extent by the operation of the 3 per cent quota law enacted in 1921 and still in force. If we keep in force this act of 1921 over a period of 10 years. the number of foreigners in this country in 1930 would be only 124 per cent of the entire population. which is less than at any time since the Civil War. The facts speak for themselves.